[vwgolfman]

I am about to purchase a Panasonic TH-42PZ80. I have it reserved for £699 at John Lewis awaiting my collection.
I am yet to pay for it.

The idea of my post is to invite all of the PZ80 fans to help convince me that I am making a worthwhile purchase (to make me feel better about spending so much money truth be known)!

I did consider the PZ85 for some time as this can be had at Richer Sounds for £799 but adding their 5 year warantee at an additional 10% of £799 takes it beyond what I am wanting to pay.

Is the PZ80 on a par with the PZ85 (just without the IFC)?
Are there any other differences compared to the PZ85?
Isn't the sound better and the 24fps something or other on the PZ85?
Is it aesthetically the same as the PZ85?
Will I regret spending so much money?
Will I go WOW when I see it?

Please reply as I have been very nervous about this purchase for some time

Thank you for your time.

[kempez]

Well I own a PZ80 and it's a fantastic telly with stunning picture. Can't answer the questions about it vs the PZ85 though as I don't own one.

I cannot imagine that you would be disappointed with it. PQ is aweome and the speakers are OK for a TV. Having said that, they are still flatscreen TV speakers so they're not going to be amazing compared to a surround sound setup.

I've owned a few TV's now and this is by far the best

The PZ80 does 24FPS doesn't it?

Aesthetically you can look for yourself on the internet. It's certainly much better looking than my old Toshiba LCD, although perhaps not quite as nice looking as my Samsung. It is very well built and feels like it's worth the money I paid for it though.

[JMWS]

Stick with the cheaper PZ80. Both use the same G11 panel and have the same PQ. The only differences are the IFC (which the majority of people appear to leave off), the 24p real cinema and the external trim. Also, the 85 is a little wider (by about 10-15mm).

Check out the reviews on hdtvtest.co.uk Panasonic TH42PZ80 / TH42PZ80B Review: 42" Viera Plasma HDTV

Panasonic TH42PZ85B Review – 42” 1080p Plasma HDTV

We went for the PZ80 (from JL ... nice to have a highly regarded warranty ... pleases the wife!) and have no regrets ... particularly as the price has risen to £999

Do not panic....you have a stunning plasma (ok I'm biased) at a cracking price!

Oh and yes, the PZ80 has 24p real play instead of 24p real cinema..... not that I can make out the difference.....

[gregster10217]

BUY IT, you won't regret it. It is a fantastic set and well worth the £699 (cheap compared to their original selling price) and will last you a good few years.
I compared the 80 and 85, and decided that the 80 was, overall, the better set for me, but others would/will disagree, only MHO.
Oh, and it's shiney - always a good excuse for buying!!!!!

[961]

@ £699 with a 5 yr JL warranty



You won't regret it and, with the value of the £. you won't do better

[jamiedeluc]

Go for it, I have the th50pz80, its fantastic.. I had the pz 70 before hand and its leaps and bounds better. For that price its a no brainer IMO theres no better for the price.

[Miss Chief]

DO IT! DOOO EEEEIITTT!!!

I love my Telly, you will too! At that price it's a steal!

[Bobbler]

Originally Posted by 961

@ £699 with a 5 yr JL warranty



You won't regret it and, with the value of the £. you won't do better

How do you get it for that sort of price? I see it at 999 on their website at the minute and cheapest for a price match looks like Richers at 729.
Or is this a "historical" offer that's no longer available, be a shame if not as I am looking to buy a new screen within the next week or so and this is one of my shortlist.

[tictac]

Originally Posted by Bobbler

How do you get it for that sort of price? I see it at 999 on their website at the minute and cheapest for a price match looks like Richers at 729.
Or is this a "historical" offer that's no longer available, be a shame if not as I am looking to buy a new screen within the next week or so and this is one of my shortlist.

I'd be interested in knowing how people are getting it for £699 too. I saw something about a Watford offer for £599 also but can't find any more details.

[Ananokki]

Hello Tictac,
If you have your nearest John Lewis contact the Glasgow store and price match their price of £699, bearing in mind Glasgow haven't upped their prices yet.

[Denarius]

Hi all, FYI (particularly TicTac) as mentioned on other threads, the Watford £599 deal for the PZ80 is now finished (£719 with them at the moment). However, good news is the Glasgow deal at £699 is still on and Andy informs me they have plenty of stock. I have now got a confirmed order with my John Lewis, Cambridge branch, at the £699 (price match, normally £999 in Cambridge). So very happy and heres hoping for no faulty/dead pixels

Happy buying everyone and many thanks for your info that lead me to this deal.

[DavidCane]

I got my PZ80 last weekend, set it up next to my dad's Samsung 40" 6 series and can quite happily say that I'm 110% satisfied with my choice. At the £699 price that it's available for at the moment it's gotta be the best option out there.

My only issue is the remote control which feels cheap and really doesn't work all that well. Is that just mine or are they all like that (click buttons that need to be pressed really hard to work)?

[kempez]

Nope, mine are obviously click buttons but they depress easily.

[alsina]

Originally Posted by DavidCane

I got my PZ80 last weekend, set it up next to my dad's Samsung 40" 6 series and can quite happily say that I'm 110% satisfied with my choice. At the £699 price that it's available for at the moment it's gotta be the best option out there.

My only issue is the remote control which feels cheap and really doesn't work all that well. Is that just mine or are they all like that (click buttons that need to be pressed really hard to work)?

Sounds like you have a faulty remote control. There should be no 'click' when you press the buttons and you shouldn't have to press them at all hard. Presume you have fitted new batteries?

[kempez]

Originally Posted by alsina

Sounds like you have a faulty remote control. There should be no 'click' when you press the buttons and you shouldn't have to press them at all hard. Presume you have fitted new batteries?

Mine 'click' when pressed and the remote is nearly new and always has clicked. I don't have to press the buttons hard though

[alsina]

Originally Posted by kempez

Mine 'click' when pressed and the remote is nearly new and always has clicked. I don't have to press the buttons hard though

If they actually make a clicking noise, it would suggest that the remote has at some point had liquid spilt on it.

[walesyg]

the buttons on mine click as well.I think the problem is that the sender is recessed into the handset which restricts the angle it can be used at.you have to point it directly at tv.I usually point it at the green light and it works. Oh! and its a great tv.

[kempez]

Originally Posted by alsina

If they actually make a clicking noise, it would suggest that the remote has at some point had liquid spilt on it.

Well you'd suggest incorrectly then

Originally Posted by walesyg

the buttons on mine click as well.I think the problem is that the sender is recessed into the handset which restricts the angle it can be used at.you have to point it directly at tv.I usually point it at the green light and it works.

Yes I think you need to aim it right at the TV

[alsina]

Originally Posted by kempez

Well you'd suggest incorrectly then



Yes I think you need to aim it right at the TV

Fair enough, but I work in a Panasonic shop and have never come across a Panasonic tv remote that makes a clicking noise when the buttons are pressed.

[NatD]

Set mine up on Satuday, replaced a 42PX60, and I am more than impressed with it, especially as all the settings are low for my 200 hour run in.

Even more so impressed that it only cost me £599 from JL!!!!

[walesyg]

Well i got mine from a panasonic shop and when you press any button you can definitely feel it click

[alsina]

Originally Posted by walesyg

Well i got mine from a panasonic shop and when you press any button you can definitely feel it click

Yes, but does it make a clicking noise? The only time I've seen that is when a remote has had liquid spilt on it.

[alexrose1uk]

Originally Posted by NatD

Set mine up on Satuday, replaced a 42PX60, and I am more than impressed with it, especially as all the settings are low for my 200 hour run in.

Even more so impressed that it only cost me £599 from JL!!!!

And you care to tell how the hell you got it so cheap? I thought the normal instore price was the currently nice £699?

[walesyg]

bit of confusion here,kempez stated "click buttons" earlier which suggested that when button is pressed you can feel click as switch is operated. I didnt mean click like a touchtone pad. Anyway it's still a great tv.

[DavidCane]

I won't be able to check the remote again until this weekend. The only reason I set the TV up when it arrived was to check that everything was undamaged and working. It's now packed up and re-boxed waiting for this weekend when I move into my flat.

The remote was new, fresh out of the box 30 mins after John Lewis delivered it. Same goes for the batteries. I'll go to Kingston John Lewis on the weekend and ask to compare my remote to one of their PZ80 remotes and see how it fares.

Thanks for the feedback. For the 6 hours I had the TV out of the box, the remote was the only thing that felt poor. The set itself is fantastic. Much better sound that the Samsung 6 series my parents have.

I'll post an update on the weekend.

DC

[DavidCane]

Originally Posted by alexrose1uk

And you care to tell how the hell you got it so cheap? I thought the normal instore price was the currently nice £699?

The same way I did. Watford JL were on at 599 10 days ago. There's a thread here somewhere (probably the TH42PZ80 has landed thread) where someone posted this. I'd bought mine just 1 week earlier from Brent Cross JL so I got them to refund the 140 difference.